London - Chris Evans is to film a pilot Top Gear episode this week, despite previously ruling himself out as a presenter for the motoring show.
The Radio 2 DJ said he is making a “secret Top Gear film” with an independent production company tomorrow and will “see how it goes”.
Once a favourite to take over presenting duties on the BBC2 programme, his comments on Sunday came weeks after he said he would not want the job even if it was offered.
The future of Top Gear has been up in the air since Jeremy Clarkson was axed after assaulting producer Oisin Tymon.
Evans, 49, is a collector of classic cars and last year spent a reported £2.27 million (R44 million) on a 1971 Ferrari Daytona Spyder. He has been previously been a guest on Top Gear and has been vocal about his love for the show.
Appearing on Channel 4’s Sunday Brunch on Sunday, he was asked by presenter Tim Lovejoy if he had started presenting Top Gear yet. He replied: “Not started yet, but we are doing a secret Top Gear film on Tuesday.”
Lovejoy responded: “It’s not so secret now”, but Evans said: “It still will be, because nobody knows where it’s going to be but we’re going to make one and see how it goes.
“We’re making a Top Gear – we’re doing a Top Gear sequence with an independent production company and we’re going to see how it goes.”
THE BOYS POKE FUN
Clarkson, 55, and co-hosts James May, 52, and Richard Hammond, 45, were quick to poke fun at Evans on Twitter, referring to his current roles as Radio 2’s breakfast presenter and host of BBC1’s The One Show, and his old job hosting TFI Friday on Channel 4.
Clarkson wrote: “Next week, I’m doing a pilot Radio 2 breakfast show with an independent production company. We’ll see how it goes.” May tweeted: “I’m working on a new TV idea, with an independent production company, called TFI Thursday. We’ll see how it goes”.
And Hammond added: “Next week I’m doing a pilot of The Two Show on Fridays with an independent production company. We’ll see how it goes”.
It is not yet known whether May or Hammond will return to Top Gear without Clarkson, with reports saying that have both turned down BBC offers worth more than £1 million (R19.14 million) each.
Further reports have the three men close to securing a deal to launch a rival motoring programme on online service Netflix.
In March Evans ruled himself out of the Top Gear job, writing in the Mail on Sunday: “I love Top Gear. But I never want to watch me on it... I already have a full-time job on the radio, I host The One Show on a Friday, write my Mail on Sunday car column, and have a mum, three children, a grandchild and a wife to love, cherish and adore.”
Daily Mail